12 Month Extension of Stay (Retirement) in 5 Minutes.

[Edge]

I am right that the UK got rid of the Honorary Consul in Pattaya aren't I?

Does that now mean one or two trips to the Embassy in Bangkok?

 

The Consulate went several years ago.

 

Then we had to either go to Bangkok or get Key Visa to do it.

 

Recently they introduced a postal system, which I just missed....did a thread on it.

[davidge]

OK. Thanks. Actually, think I read the thread!

Memory's gone!!!!! Think my brain is mush.

[Edge]

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/275996-uk-embassy-letter-re-income-for-retirement-extension-application/

[Sa-teef]

Went to do my renewal today at Jomtien.  Place was busy but I made all the copies next door and had the guy look at them and staple it together:

--Application with 2 signatures, phone number and mug shot attached.

--Copies of the identification page, the page which shows the single entry non-immigrant visa which my retirement extensions are based upon and the current extension page with the entry card.

--Income letter from the embassy.

--Letter from the Thai bank.

--Copies of my passbook activity for the past 3-4 months.

--Copies of the receipts for my last three months rent payments.

 

Bad news: the wicked witch of Jomtien is back! I thought she had left five years ago (or maybe they had burned her at the stake?)  and I've had zero problems there since, but she's BACKKKK.  I had a lease agreement my first three months but haven't had a lease agreement in five years since; it's always been month to month. Even though the other guys at what is now desk 8 were accepting copies of the rent receipts she wasn't gonna go for that.  Sent me all the way back to Pattaya to get a letter from my landlord stating who I am and yes this is where I live.  Even though the original rent receipts which I showed her have all of that information on them including an original signature of the person who owns the place.

 

The two falang directly in front of me were also sent away to fetch things.

 

I banged heads with her five years ago when she sent me off to fetch things which Nong Pru in Bangkok never asked for. After I returned with them she told me in a condescending way,

  "You'll remember next time that this is how we do things here won't you?"

This year when I dutifully returned with the meaningless letter from the property owner she said,

  "You'll remember to bring this next year, won't you?"

 

It's gotta be the same lady.

Don't wait until the last minute and don't be surprised if whatever you did for years in the past doesn't quite measure-up to her expectations.

[Edge]

^^^

 

Sounds as though I was lucky.

Re address, I take it you don't have any utility bills in your name?

They just accepted my ToT bill and never asked about rent etc.

 

The rest was easy peasy - they gave up looking for my original Visa after I lost my Passport and then put the new one in the washing machine.

I did go in a while back to see if I had a problem, but my Extension and Multi re-entry were still legible and they said everything else checked out on the database.

I think I know the lady you're talking about - said I had to leave the country because my 90 day report slip had vanished, but I had stamps showing I'd been out within 90 days ever since my last visa so the guy in charge said OK - not do again.

 

One little thing I never noticed before - when I collected my Passport they took a mugshot of me.

[Sa-teef]

You were right on the mark about the photo when picking up my passport.

She spotted me walking toward Desk 8 and ushered me over there, took a pic of my identification page and then of me.

 

24 hours later I should add a few things since I try hard not to only talk about the negative.

--The remodeled space at Jomtien Immigration Office seems very functionally laid out. 

--The wait times could hardly be any less if they were pouncing on you in the parking lot IMO.

--Most of the staff have very good English skills.

--If you have your old 90 day report sheet with the bar code on it doing the report is a no brainer now.  You don't have to fill-out anything, just show them your old page and they send you over to the desk area.  They read the old bar code and print out a new one to attach in your passport.& you're done.

--Most of the staff are very professional and seem willing to accommodate. 

--Mid to late afternoon they have a profusion of eye candy,i.e. appear to be young trainees on duty.  Makes going to the immigration office just a little bit more fun.

 

There are stories out there about the ardors of meeting the visa requirements in Thailand, but for a guy who is 50+ it honestly isn't a big deal.

 

 

[bangna]

I  do like a girl in uniform 

[Edge]

.

That time of year again and this time I was able to do my 90 day Report on the same day as doing my application for an Extension of Stay (Retirement).

 

At about 11 am I couldn't believe my luck as I was straight in at the Report desk and only 2 numbers to go at the Extension Desk.

 

The first snag I've run into before which took 3-4 officers 15 -20 minutes of searching through my PP for my original O Visa which I've been Extending.....it isn't there but they eventually let that one go.

 

The main problem was with my bank details.

I had the bank letter confirming 800k for 3+ months and I had my bank book updated.

It occurred to me that because I'd left it a few months to update, not all transactions were showing.

I've been asked before to copy the last 3 months of my book, so I downloaded Statements online which showed everything and printed those off.

No good......I got sent back to the bank to get them printed on their paper and stampity stamped.

 

No big deal and got back as they were coming back from lunch and went straight to the counter.

Pick up PP tomorrow...maybe if I'd finished before lunch it would have been this afternoon but never mind.

.